Head-bar organization for venetian blinds



May 16, 1939.` H. K. LoRENTzEN HEAD-BAR ORGANIZATION FOR VENETIAN BLINDS 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 Filed DSC. 1, 1937 NN AWN i v fw. hmmww IN VENTOR. Ha/UIL are/fixez@ BY v I W, ma, CLM L5 KM. .wl

Ma ATTORNEYS vM815' 15 1939- f H. K. LoRENTzEN 2,153,825

HEAD-BAR ORGANIZATION FOR VENETIAN BLINDS Filed Deo. l, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M ATTORNEYS Patented May 16, 1939 HEAD-BAR ORGANIZATION FOR VENETIAN BLINDS 1 Hans K. Lorentzen, Montclair, N. J.

Application December 1, 1937, Serial No. 177,432

13 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to Venetian blinds, and particularly to a structure for supporting and actuating the blind.

More particularly, the invention relates to tele scopic blind supporting and actuating structures, and the general object of the invention is to provide improved structures of that type. An other object is to provide a head-bar organization which can be handled as a unit by the l0 Venetian blind manufacturer, with a saving of time in the fabrication and installation of the blind. A further object is to provide such a head-bar organization which can itself be eco.

nomically fabricated and assembled on a quantity production basis.

It is highly desirable, from a manufacturing point of view, to have parts of standard form and size capable of mass production. However, windows vary in width, and, to enable one standard form of head-bar to be used for windows varying in width over a considerable range, I have devised the construction hereinafter described.

Broadly, my improved structure embodies two end sections carrying the blind supporting, raising and lowering, and tilting mechanisms telescopically'l connected by a center section. The use of three sections, instead of two, permits the end sectionsto be made of identical cross section, instead of one larger than the other to permit telescopic movement. All three sections are constructed so as" to screen the operating mechanism from view on the room side of the blind. v

Venetian blinds are ordinarily constructed with a head-bar secured to the window frame and a tilt-bar suspended from the head-bar for turning the slats of the blind. The tilt-bar is usually supported at its ends, and hence has to be stiff and heavy in construction, as the ladder tapes by which the blind is suspended are attached to the tilt-bar at some distance from the ends of the tilt-bar.

According to certain features of the present invention, bearings are preferably provided for the tilt-bar on either side of each of the ladder tapes, these bearings being hung from the headbar proper, so'that the weight of the blind is transferred substantially directly from the ladder tapestto the head-bar.

One suitable form of construction is shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top-plan view with' parts in section. In general the view is taken on the line I-I ot 66 FIS. 2:

Fig. 2 is a back elevation (from the window side of the blind) showing a fragment of a blind and the structure of Fig. 1 with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view, with parts broken 5 away, of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional View taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section taken approxii mately on the line 5--5 of Figs. 1 and 4; 10

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one end of the headbar, approximately on the line 6-6 of Fig. l,

with the supporting bracket removed;

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken approximately on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6, and 15A Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic back elevation of the structure as a whole in contracted (full line) and in extended (dotted line) positions.

The illustrated structure comprises a telescopic head-bar composed of three sections gen- 20 erally designated as III, II and'l2. The end section I0 carries a cord lock and the other end sectionl I2 carries means for turning' the tilt-bar. Except, for these two fittings, the structure is symmetrical about its. mid-point, i.` e., the half 25 of the structure lying on one side of the center cross-axial plane is a so-called mirror reversal of the other half.

The sections are of general L-shaped form, as will be seen from Fig. 5. The end section I0 30 has a deep vertical web I3 on the room side of y the blind which serves not only to give strength and stillness to the head-bar but also to act as a screen to conceal the operating mechanism of the blind. The lower marginM of this web is 3 turned inwardly and upwardly to embrace the lower edge of the vertical web I1 of the middle head-bar section II. From the top of the web I3 extends rearwardly a horizontal web I5 provided with a channel portion I6 along its rear, 40 side to receive the cords 20, 20 by which the blind is raised and lowered. The middle head-bar section Il, in addition to having a vertical web I1, has a top horizontal web I8 which is joined with a depending rear wall I9. 'I'he front wall of the 45 channel I 6 engages the rear wall I9 of the middle section II (see Fig. 5) so that the top of section I0 embraces the top of section II, while the upturned edge I4 embraces the bottom of section -I I. The two sections are thereby held in 50 telescopic relation to each other. 'I'he section I2 is constructed exactly the sameas section Ill,

so i'ar as the above described features are concerned.

Various means may be used for locking the sections in adjusted position, such as slots 2|, 2| in the ends of the middle section II and registering apertures in the end sections I0 and I2 through which pass clamping screws 22, 22 for engagement with large thin nuts 23, 23 underneath the top of section II.

Each end of the head-bar is supported on a stamped sheet metal bracket, designated as a whole by 25. These brackets are reversible, i. e., the same stamping may be mounted at either the right-hand or the left-hand side of the window. In case of a so-called inside mounting, the brackets are placed against the oppositely facing surfaces of the window jamb and secured by screws s (Figs. 1 and 2) through bracket holes h (Fig. 5). In the case of a so-called outside mounting, the brackets are placed on the room surface of the window jamb and secured by screws through holes H in wings w.

It will be noted that each bracket 25 has two pairs of wings w, w, one pair being used in case the bracket is mounted on the left-hand side of the window, and the other pair being used if the bracket is turned around and mounted on the right-hand side of the window. The tip of the bracket is formed as a two-part inwardly projecting shelf 26 on which the end of horizontal web I5 rests. Above the shelf is a horizontal retainer finger 21 which holds the head-bar against upward movement. In mounting the head-bar on the pair of brackets, it is flrst adjusted to the proper length, and then thev ends of web I5 are inserted between shelves 26 and retainer fingers 21. Pivotally attached at |23 to each vertical web I3 is a gravity actuated latch L (Figs. 2 and 6) which projects through a stationary keeper loop m, that permits limited vertical movement of the latch L. Latch L is provided with a thumb piece p by which it is raised as the head-bar is pushed into place on the brackets 25, 25. The latch then drops behind the lower wing w on the outer edge of the bracket, thereby preventing accidental forward movement of the mounted head-bar.

In the usual Venetian blind construction the tilt-bar performs two functions, rst supporting the blind and second changing the angle of the slats. According to the present invention, the weight of the blind is taken off the tilt-bar, so far as deectional stresses are concerned, by providing bearings hung on the head-bar for supporting the tilt-bar on either side of those portions of the tilt-bar to which the ladder tapes are attached. In view of the use of such bearings, the only function of the tilt-bar is to turn the slats of the blind, and hence the tilt bar may be designed to transmit torsional stresses only.

The tilt-bar must telescope at the same time as the head-bar when fitting the structure as a whole to a window frame. While the tilt-bar might, like the head-bar, be made of three sections, it is simpler yto make it of two sections only, as shown. These two sections 30 and 3| are both rectangular in cross section, and are arranged in overlapping sliding relation to each other. Clamps 32, 32 are provided by which they can be locked together in adjusted position. These clamps 32 consist of U-shaped stampings, the arms of which are apertured for the passage of the bars 30 and 3|. The middle web of the clamps has a threaded aperture for a set screw 36, the lower end of which engages a recess in the bar immediately below it to retain the other bar through the clamp. When the set screw is tightened its end engages the bottom of such recess and forces the two bars into frictional engagement with each other and with the clamp.

The blind proper consists of the usual wooden slats 28 supported by ladder tapes 29 attached at their upper ends to'the tilt-bar. The attachment may be by means of L-shaped pivoted clamps C having a toothed clamping edge operating like a suspender adjustment clamp. As above mentioned, bearings are provided for the tilt-bar on either side of each ladder tape. These bearings, in the particular construction illustrated, consist of hard fiber disks 33, rotatably mounted in shallow sheet metal cups 34 (Fig. 4) welded to brackets 35 (four shown) supported by the head-bar, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. As shown more particularly in the last mentioned figure, these brackets 35 consist of metal stampings each having a vertical flange which is attached by screw 39 to the rear wall of the channel I6, and a horizontal ange at the bottom to contact the under side of such channel. One end 38 of the horizontal flange is turned downwardly and apertured for attachment of one of the cups 34 thereto.`

The outer ends of the bars 30 and 3| pass through apertures in the disks 33. In view of the overlapping sliding relation between the bars 30 and 3|, they are so mounted that they rotate about an axis lying along the center of their contacting surfaces. 'Ihe apertures in the disks 33 are, therefore, eccentrically located to produce this result, the axis of rotation being concentric with the periphery of disks 33. Other materials than hard fiber can be used for making the disks 33, but hard fiber is particularly suitable as, without lubricants, it provides a noiseless bearing surface.

Between each pair of fiber disks is 'a laddertape-supporting plate 42 the ends of which contact the inner surfaces of the fiber disks 33 and hold them in place in the bearing cups 34. For attaching the plates 42 to the bars 30 or 3|, each plate is formed with a channel 43 at its center to receive the bar 30 or 3| to which it is attached by screws 44, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. So that the plates 42 can be used interchangeably with either bar 30 or bar 3|. the channel 43 therein is made equal to the combined width of bars 30 and 3|, so that bar 30 may be secured to one side of the channel in its corresponding plate 42 and the bar 3| to the other side of the channel. To advantages, the plates 42 are stiffened by stamping semicircular projections 46 therein.

The cords 20, 20, by which the blind is raised and lowered, pass through slots which lie crosswise of the slats 23 of the blind. Similarly, the ladder-tape-supporting plates 42, 42 are provided with transverse slots 45, 45, and the bars 30 and 3| are interrupted at these points, as shown in Fig. 4, to permit the passage of the cords.

In the channels I6 of the two end sections are double pulleys 50 located above the slots 45. The section I0 also carries a cord lock comprising a casing 5|, within which is pivoted at 52 a. locking dog 53, adapted to jam the lift cord against a shoulder of the casing, as shown in Fig. 7. A double pulley 54 in the top of the casing guides the cords into the latter. The casing is inclined forwardly, i. e., away from the window side of the head-bar, to bring it more or less into line with the pull-on cords by a person standing some distance from the blind.

'I'he head-bar section I2 carries the tilting 75 mechanism which comprises a bracket 60 attached to the under side of the horizontal top web o! the head-bar. This bracket carries a shaft on which are mounted a worm 6| and a pulley 62 engaged byV a bead chain 63 by which the worm may be rotated. Pivotally mounted on the bracket by a bearing pin 65 is a U-shaped member 64,- one upstanding arm of which consists of a toothed sector for engagement with the worm 6 I. The other arm is slotted to receive one end of a metal `strip 66. This end is of the form shown in Fig. 2,- to keep it in proper axial position with respect to the member 64, The other end of the strip 66 is turned downwardly and provided with an aperture of the same cross section as the bar 3 i, which extends therethrough, so that when the member 64 is turned by the worm the tilt-baris correspondingly rotated.

In compliance with the patent statutes, I have` disclosed the best form in which I have contemplated applying my invention, but it will be understood that the disclosed form is merely a specic illustrative emimidirrient` which does not limit the scope of the invention,

What is claimed is:

l. Venetian blind supporting and operating mechanism, comprising a head-bar, a tilt-bar beneath said head-bar, and of non-circular cross section, a disk having an aperture therein of the same cross section as said tilt-bar with the tiltbar extending therethrough, a bearing for the periphery oi said disk secured to and depending from said head-bar, and means mounted on said head-bar for adjusting the angular position of the tilt-bar.

2. Venetian 'blind supporting and operating mechanism, including an adjustable length headbar, a tilt-bar beneath said head-bar comprising two overlapping relatively slidable sections, the engaging surfaces of the sections being fiat, means for holding said surfaces in contact whereby a turning movement imparted to one section is transferred to the other' section, a disk on each section having an aperture therein of the same cross section as the section of the tilt-bar and lwith the tilt-bar section extending therethrough,

the apertures in the disks on the two sections of the tilt-bar being so odset that the line joining the centers of said disks lies at the center of the contacting surfaces oi' said sections, a bearing for the periphery oi each disk secured to and `depending from said head-bar, and means mounted on said head-bar for adjusting the angular position of the tilt-bar. y

3. In a unitary head-bar organization for a Venetian blind, the blind being of the type in which a plurality of superimposed slats are tiltably supported and are raised and lowered by liftcords, andl said head-bar organization being of the type which includes blind supporting and tilting mechanism that are supported by a sheet metal structure; the improvement which comprises: the sheet metal structure being of inverted L-shaped cross section, one leg of the L being a horizontal web positioned above the blind supporting and tilting mechanism, and the other leg of the L being a vertical web depending on the room side of the blind supporting and tilting mechanism, and the horizontal web being formed with an upwardly opening channel which stiffens 'the head-bar and provides a passage for the Venetian blind, `the blind being of the type in` which a pluralityof superimposed slats are tiltably supported and are raised and lowered by lift-cords, and said head-bar organization being of the type which, includes blind supporting and tilting mechanism that are supported by a sheet metal structure; the improvement which comprises: the sheet metal structure being of inverted L-shaped cross section, one leg of the L being a horizontal web positioned above the blind supporting and tilting mechanism, and the other leg of the L being a vertical web depending on the room side of the blind supporting and tilting mechanism, the horizontal web being formed with an upwardly opening channel which stiiiens the head-bar and provides a passage for the liftcords, guide pulleys in said channel, and the tilting mechanism including a pivotedrmetal tiltbar mounted beneath said channel.

5. In a4 unitary head-bar organization for a Venetian blind, the blind being of the type in which a plurality of superimposed slats are tiltably supported and are raised and lowered by liftcords, 'and said head-bar organization being of the type which includes blind supporting and tilting 4mechanism that are supported by a sheet metal structure; the improvement which comprises: the sheet metal structure being of inverted Lnshaped cross section and including a center section and end sections telescopically related therewith to provide adjustability in the length of the headbar, the end sections being of identical cross sectional size and shape and each having a horizontal web positioned above the blind supporting and tilting mechanism and a verticalwebdepending on the room side of the blind supporting and tilting mechanism, the center section having horizontal and vertical webs which are in engagement with the horizontal and vertical webs respectively of the end sections, and the tilting mechanism including a telescopic metal tilt-bar pivotally mounted in the angular space of the' L-shaped formation,

6. In a 'unitary head-bar organization for a Venetian blind, the blind being of the type in which a plurality of superimposed slats are tiltably supported and are raised and lowered by liftcords, and said head-bar organization being of the type which includes blind supporting and tilting mechanism that are supported by a sheet metal structure; the improvement which comprises: the sheet metal structurevbeing` of inverted L-shaped cross section, and including a center section and end sections telescopically related therewith to provide adjustability in the length of the head-bar, the end' sections being of identical cross sectional size and shape and each having a horizontal web positioned above the blind supporting and tilting mechanism and a vertical web depending on the room side of the blind supporting and tilting mechanism, said horizontal web being formed with an upwardly opening channel' which stiffens the head-bar and provides a passage for the lift-cords, the center section having horizontal and vertical Webs which are in engagement with the horizontal and vertical webs respectively of the end sections, the center section also having a depending flange in engagement with the wall of said channels in the end sections, and the tilting mechanism includying `a telescopic metal tilt-bar pivotally mounted beneath said channels,

7. A head-bar organization for Venetian blinds, comprising: a sheet metal support of inverted L-shaped cross section, one leg of the L beihg a horizontal web and the other leg of the L being a vertical web depending on the room side of the structure, and a tilt-bar mounted behind said vertical web.

8. A he'ad-bar organization for Venetian blinds comprising: an extensible sheet metal support of inverted L-shaped cross section, one leg of the L being a horizontal web and the other `leg of the L being a vertical web depending on the room side of the structure, and an extensible tilt-bar pivotally mounted in the angular space of the L- shaped formation.

9. A head-bar organization for Venetian blinds comprising: an extensible sheet metal support of inverted L-shaped cross section, one leg of the L being a horizontal web and the other leg of the L being a vertical web depending on the room side of the structure, an extensible tilt-bar in the angular space of the L-shaped formation, and ilxed bearing pivotally attaching the tilt-bar to the sheet metal support.

10. A head-bar organization for Venetian blinds, comprising: a rod-like tilt-bar, laddertape-supporting plates attached to the tilt-bar, disks on the tilt-bar in non-rotative relation therewith, one disk being adjacent to each side of each plate, bearings for the peripheries of the disks, and a supporting structure to which said bearings are attached.

11. A head-bar organization for Venetian blinds, comprising: a rod-like tilt-bar, laddertape-supporting plates attached to the tilt-bar, fiber disks on the tilt-bar in non-rotative relation therewith, one disk being adjacent to each side of each plate, metallic bearings for the peripheries of the disks, and a supporting structure to which said bearings are attached.

12. A head-bar organization for Venetian blinds, comprising: a ladder-tape-supporting plate having a slot for the passage of a lift rope. and having a channel extending transversely oi the slot, and a rod-like tilt-bar the axis of which extends across said slot, the rod-formation being severed at the slot and the ends of the resulting sections thereof being positioned in said channel and secured to said plate to operatively connect them together,

13. A head-bar organization for Venetian blinds, comprising: a ladder-tape-supporting plate having a slot for the passage of a lift-rope, and a rod-like tilt-bar the axis of which extends across said slot, the rod-formation being severed at the slot and the ends of the resulting sections thereof being secured to said plate to operatively connect them together.

HANS K. IJOREN'IZEN. 

